Thailand Morning News For May 9

Govt lures major Chinese investment to new EEC
DEPUTY Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said yesterday that the government plans to connect its new Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) development project with the Chinese government’s One Belt, One Road initiative.
– The Nation

Thailand targets broadband in all villages by end-2018
Thailand’s government, understanding the power of the digital economy to spur innovation and reduce the gap between the rich and poor, is looking longer term and committed to providing broadband access to even the most remote parts of the country.
– Mobile World Live

KBank eyes slower SME loan growth
Kasikornbank (KBank) expects its small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) loans this year to grow at a slower pace than last year’s 4-6% because of thin loan demand amid an uneven economic recovery, recovery, says a senior official.
– Bangkok Post

Thailand delays launch of $2.9 bln infrastructure fund to Q3
Thailand has delayed the launch of a 100-billion baht ($2.89 billion) infrastructure fund to September this year, the latest in a series of delays in the fund’s launch, a government official said on Monday.
– Reuters

Home construction off to slower start than last year
Bangkok and its suburbs saw 24,168 new homes, collectively worth Bt78.44 billion, built in the first quarter of this year, at an average price of Bt3.24 million, the Agency for Real Estate Affairs reported on Monday.
– The Nation

Agri Ministry aims to increase one million rai of organic farmland in five years
The Ministry of Agriculture will encourage farmers to turn to organic crops with an aim to reduce rice-planting area by one million rai within five years.
– Thai PBS

PM instructs MOE to review educational curriculum
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education (MOE) disclosed that the Prime Minister had instructed the MOE to review the country’s education curriculum in order to ensure that students respond well to it, while education of the English language must be also enhanced to reduce disparities.
– NNT

Army sets sights on Chinese tanks
The Royal Thai Army will buy 34 armoured vehicles worth about two billion baht and another 11 VT-4 battle tanks from China, says army commander Chalermchai Sitthisat.
– Bangkok Post

Chinese express delivery firm opens service centres in Thailand, Vietnam
SF Express, a subsidiary of SF Holdings, an express delivery firm based in Shenzhen, China, recently announced that its service centres in Vietnam and Thailand had formally opened for business, providing export and import express delivery services to local companies and individuals.
– The Nation

CIMB Thai strives for mid-tier status via transformation plan
CIMB Thai aims to become a high-performance mid-tier bank with annualised profit before tax of Bt15 billion within five years. As part of that effort, it is using digital banking to support new business areas.
– The Nation

Nippon Paint (Thailand) expects steady growth in auto refinishing business
Nippon Paint (Thailand)’s auto refinishing business unit is optimistic that this segment will grow steadily this year, at a similar level to 2016, with a total market value of about Bt3.8 billion to Bt4.0 billion.
– The Nation

THAI receives recertification of air operator’s certificate
Thai Airways International was recertified to the international safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
– Thai PBS

Hypertension the ‘Silent Killer’ that Affects 13 Million Thais
At least 13 million Thais have suffered from hypertension for years with many not realising they had the condition, a health authority says.
– Chiang Rai Times

CENSORED BY FACEBOOK
Facebook has blocked users in Thailand from accessing a video that shows the country’s king strolling through a German shopping mall wearing a crop-top revealing his distinctive tattoos, accompanied by one of his mistresses.
– Vice News

Sansiri to accept e-payments, bookings via Samsung Pay
Property firm Sansiri will soon accept online bookings and payments from its customers through the mobile application Samsung Pay.
– The Nation

Big retailers, manufacturers to clear up price hikes
The Commerce Ministry is scheduled to hold a meeting with consumer goods makers and big retailers today to discuss the product price structure and clarify indirect price hikes alleged by consumers.
– Bangkok Post

Commerce Ministry and Thailand Post join hands to market community goods
The Ministry of Commerce has joined hands with Thailand Post to utilize its 1,200 nationwide branches and global offices to create a complete outlet for community goods.
– NNT

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Thailand Morning News For May 9 added by John Le Fevre on May 9, 2017
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John Le Fevre

Thailand editor at AEC News Today

John is an Australian national with more than 40 years experience as a journalist, photographer, videographer, and copy editor.

He has spent extensive periods of time working in Africa and throughout Southeast Asia, with stints in the Middle East, the USA, and England.

He has covered major world events including Operation Desert Shield/ Storm, the 1991 pillage in Zaire, the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the 1999 East Timor independence unrest, the 2004 Asian tsunami, and the 2009, 2010, and 2014 Bangkok political protests.

In 1995 he was a Walkley Award finalist, the highest awards in Australian journalism, for his coverage of the 1995 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Ebola outbreak.

Prior to AEC News Today he was the deputy editor and Thailand and Greater Mekong Sub-region editor for The Establishment Post, predecessor of Asean Today.

In the mid-80s and early 90s he owned JLF Promotions, the largest above and below the line marketing and PR firm servicing the high-technology industry in Australia. It was sold in 1995.